1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of fasteners. More particularly, the present invention relates to the field of ear fasteners for protective masks utilized in oral, vaginal and anal sex.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The inventor and applicant of the present invention is also the patentee of U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,112 issued on Jun. 14, 1994 (hereafter "the '112 Patent") and U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,016 issued on Apr. 25, 1995 (hereafter "the '016 Patent"). The inventor is aware of the prior art references which were disclosed in the '112 and '016 Patents. While the patentee's prior art devices function adequately, the patentee has continuously sought to further improve her ear fasteners used in conjunction with an oral condom.
Both the '112 and '016 Patents disclose an oral condom which protects the user from contracting sexually transmitted diseases while engaging in oral, vaginal or anal sex. The oral condom provides a protective mask which is capable of protecting the facial area of a user from undesirable exposure to infection carrying microorganisms. The oral condom has conformed portions for the lips so that the lips can be more easily moved in a natural way and an extended portion for the tongue so the tongue can move in a natural way and not be hindered by the oral condom.
In the '112 Patent, the oral condom is shaped like an oval with two lateral leg portions which are respectively attached to two unique opposite ear attachments. In the '016 Patent, the oral condom is a unitary piece integrally formed with the ear attachments. The patentee has discovered that using the ear attachments disclosed in the '112 Patent is a very time consuming process and cuts down on the "spontaneity" of the sexual act that they wish to enjoy.
There is always a need to improve the ear attachments for protective masks, so that a user engaging in oral, vaginal and anal sex will be protected from communicable diseases. The improved ear fasteners facilitate the use of the oral condom, where the clamp means on the ear fasteners are easy to use. Therefore, it is desirable to have an improved ear fastener, where the clamp means can be securely fastened to the end of the oral condom and quickly released.